NU, NSTAR Pact Does Not Mention Montville

Gov. Dannel P. Malloyand Attorney General George Jepsen have endorsed a proposed merger of Northeast Utilities and NSTAR - the largest power company in Massachusetts. 

The merger must still be approved by state regulators, who said they should have a ruling by April 2, according to the Hartford Courant.

Montville Mayor Ron McDaniel has been working hard on a plan that would require NU and NSTAR to put out bids for new biomass generation in Connecticut,

In testimony before the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority - the body that will be ruling on the merger - McDaniel pointed out that Massachusetts had set similar requirements for the merger there, to benefit the Cape Wind facility.

That requirement, McDaniel said, "will bring thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of new investment into Massachusetts."

He noted a similar requirement energy regulators had made in Maryland.

"For example," he testified, "the biomass plant that NRG has proposed to locate in Montville would bring near-term construction jobs to the economy, and long-term Connecticut jobs to operate the plant and supply the biomass to the project."

The plant would mean cost-effective, renewable power for Connecticut, and would have great benefits for Montville, as well.

McDaniel is not alone in his efforts. According to a press release,The Montville region legislative delegation, led by the House Chair of the Public Health Committee, Rep. Betsy Ritter (Montville/Waterford), sent a letter to Malloy, supporting the biomass project and encouraging him to consider a long term commitment for biomass generation in Connecticut.

The proposal to convert a portion of the existing Montville facility to use green wood biomass as a fuel source for 40 megawatts of renewable generation has been approved by the Department of Public Utility Control. 

“Cleaner, renewable energy is a critical part of our economic future," said Rep. Tom Reynolds (D-Ledyard). "The new Montville biomass facility brings a host of benefits to the region and good paying jobs. We must ensure that additional plants are planned for and built to meet our needs in the years to come.”

The merger package announced Tuesday did not mention the biomass component, The Courant said.

It did contain, in exchange for a package of concessions from the companies:

• A nearly three-year freeze in electric distribution rates in Connecticut;
• An additional $300 million in improvements to aging poles, lines and transformers;
• A donation of 1,000 acres of open space.

• $15 million in energy-efficiency programs paid for by shareholders;
• A promise to keep an NU headquarters in Hartford for at least seven years.

"Montville is a community with deepties to the energy industry," McDaniel said in his testimony, "and is home to two existing power plants, including the recently retired AES generating station and NRG Energy's Montville generating station....

"Maintaining the viability of electricity generation in Montville is of the utmost importance to the town of Montville and its residents," McDaniel said . "The jobs and economic stimulus provided by NRG's existing Montville power plant are critical to the wellbeing of the town of Montville, and its proposed redevelopment of its biomass plant is an important part of our financial future."

This morning, McDaniel said the effort was still ongoing. Just because it wasn't mentioned in the merger agreement "doesn't mean it's a dead issue," he said.

Click here to read the full Hartford Courant story.